Brassiere



Dec. 4, 1962 D. H. KAUPP BRASSIERE Filed Feb. 1, 1961 INVENTOR DONALD l7. KAUPP ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,066,676 BRASSIERE Donald H. Kaupp, 162 W. 54th St., New York, N.Y. Filed Feb. 1, 1961, Ser. No. 86,486 5 Claims. (Cl. 128-482) This invention relates to brassieres and more particularly t0 brassieres of the type having shoulder straps adapted,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the brassiere in wearingposition; 7

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the brassiere in spread out position; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a further embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing more in detail the brassiere is shown as composed of a bottom strip 10 of stretchable material which is adapted to extend entirely around the body of the wearer and to form the main support for the other elements of the garment. The strip 10 is preferably composed of woven fabric having elastic yarns such as Lastex yarns running longitudinally so as to provide a substantial pull as required for support purposes.

Shoulder straps 11 of stretchable material similar to that V of the strip 10 are attached at one end 12 to the strip 10 at the front of the garment and extend over the shoulders with their rear ends 13 attached to the strip 10 at spaced points in the back. In the form shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the shoulder straps 11 are comparatively wide at least in the portions extending at the back and over the shoulders. An elastic strip 14 extends from a point at the rear of the shoulders to join the bottom strip 10 beneath the arm opening as shown at 15.

The straps 11 and 14 provide a support for the breast pockets to be described wherein the entire pull is taken by the bottom strip 10.

Fabric breast pockets 17 are attached at the bottom to the strip 10, at the front to the shoulder straps 11 with their rear edges 18 extending from the shoulder strap 11 at the front, to the bottom strip 10 at the back, at a point in front of the point of attachment of the shoulder strap. The rear edges 18 of the pockets 17 may contain a stretchable strip 19 to provide improved support. The strips 19 may constitute a part of the shoulder straps 11 or may constitute separate pieces. The pockets 17 are shown as formed in three panels namely a rear panel 20 which is knitted or woven to be stretchable horizontally, a lower front panel 21 which is substantially non-stretchable and an upper front panel 22 which is stretchable horizontally as indicated by the arrow.

A back panel 23 is attached at its bottom edge to the bottom strip 10 with its forward edges attached to the strips 14 and extending forwardly at its lower portion 24 to overlap the rearward edge of the breast pockets 17 beneath the shoulders. The upper edge 25 of the back panel 23 extends between the two shoulder straps 11.

The overlap of the back panel and the rear edge of the breast pockets at the point of attachment to the bottom strip 10 provides improved comfort as the two panels are "ice each given a longer stretch at the bottom than would be effected without the overlap. The stretch characteristics of the bottom strip 10 in the area of the overlap are imparted to both the breast pockets and to the back panel. In addition the entire pull of the breast pockets is taken by the rear portion of the shoulder straps which extend over the shoulders to the bottom strip 16 at the back. Improved support is thus obtained with comfort to the wearer.

The forward edges of the shoulder straps 11 adjacent the ends 12 are shown as provided with hooks 26 and eyes 27 for fastening the brassiere in the front. It is to be.

understood however that the garment may be made to open in the back or on the side if desired. In either case the attachment of the two shoulder straps 11 .at their lower front ends provides additional front support for the breast pockets.

The shoulder straps 11 are attached to the back panel 23 and the latter is preferably made to stretch in two directions so as not to interfere with the stretch of either the shoulder straps or of the bottom strip 16. The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is similar to that of FIGS. 1 and 2 except that the shoulder straps 30 of FIG. 3 are made somewhat narrower and terminate in back at the point of attachment to the back panels. The back panel 31 is made in two parts each of which is attached at its bottom edge to the bottom strip 10. At their forward edges the panels 31 carry stretchable strips 32 which are attached at the bottom to the bottom strip 16 and at their top ends to the ends of the shoulder straps 30 and extend .around the rear portion of the arm holes in a manner similar to the strips of FIGS. 1 and 2. The rear edges of the panels 31 carry stretchable strips 33 which are attached to the ends of the shoulder straps 30 extend at the lower ends in overlapping relationship to the bottom strip 10.

In this embodiment the pull of the shoulder straps is taken by the bottom strip 10 along the entire area from the point of attachment of the strip 32 beneath the arms to the point of attachment of the strips 33 beyond the center of the back. A portion of the pull is also taken by the panels 3-1 themselves so that the pull is distributed over a substantial area.

In some instances it may be desirable to omit the side overlap in the garment of FIG. 3 where the back overlap provides sufficient comfort. In general a greater overlap serves to extend the area of pull and improves the comfort and support of the garment and may be varied according to the size of the garment and the characteristics desired.

While the shoulder straps and the bottom strip 10 have been described as composed of stretchable material it is obvious that all or a part of these elements may be made of non-stretchable material in accordance with the desired result. Also the various strips, such as 14, 19, 32 and 33, may be composed of non-stretchable material if the stretch characteristic is not required in any particular instance.

What is claimed is:

1. A garment comprising a lower strip adapted to extend entirely around the body of the wearer, shoulder straps attached to said lower strip at the front of the garment and extending upwardly therefrom, breast pockets of generally triangular form having bottom edges, forward edges and rearward edges, said bottom edges being attached to said lower strip, said forward edges extending upwardly along and attached to said shoulder straps, said rearward edges extending from the shoulder straps at the front of the garment to the lower strip at the sides of the garment, and a back panel attached at its lower edge shoulder maps at their upper ends to said lower strip at the lower ends in a position overlapping the rearward edges of said breast pockets at the sides of the garment, the rearward edges of the breast pockets and the forward edges of the back panel being adapted to extend diagonally and to overlap beneath the armpits when in position on the wearer.

2. A garment comprising a lower strip of stretchable material adapted to extend entirely around the body of the wearer, shoulder straps attached to said lower strip at the front of, the garment and extending upwardly therefrom, breast pockets of generally triangular form having bottom edges, forward edges and rearward edges, said bottom edges being attached to said lower strip, said forward edges extending upwardly along and attached to said shoulder straps, said rearward edges extending from the shoulder straps at the front of the garment to the lower strip at the sides of the garment, and a back panel attached at its lower edge to said lower strip extending between said shoulder straps in theback and having forward edges carrying stretchable strips which are attached at their upper ends to said shoulder straps and to said lower strip at their lower end in a positionoverlapping the rearward edges of said breast pockets at the sides of the garment; the rearward edges of the breast pockets and the forward edges of the back panel being adapted to extend diagonally and to Overlap beneath the armpits when in position" on the wearer.

3. A garment comprising a lower strip adapted to extend entirely around the body of the wearer, shoulder straps attached to said lower strip at the' front of the garment and breast pockets having bottom edges attached to said lower strip, having forward edges extending along and attached to said shoulder straps, and having sloping rearward edges extending from the shoulder straps at the front of the garment to the lower strip at the sides of the garment, and a back panel attached at its lower edges to said lower strip, said shoulder straps having two portions extending from a point at the top of the back panel to thelower strip, one of said portions extending along the forward edge of said back panel to overlap said breast pocket and the other portion extending to the lower strip at a point near the center of the back, the rearward edges of the breast pockets and the forward edges of the back panel being adapted to extend diagonally and to overlap beneath the'armpits whenin position on the wearer.

4. A garment comprising a lower strip adapted to extend entirely around the body of the wearer, shoulder straps attached to said lower strip at the front of the ward edges and rearward edges, said bottom edges being attached to said lower strip, said forward edges extending upwardly along and attached to said shoulder straps, said rearward edges extending from the shoulder straps at the front of the garment to the lower strip at the sides of the garment and a back panel composed of two parts which are attached at their lower edges to said lower strip, each of said parts having a forward edge extending from said shoulder strap at its upper end to said lower strip at its lower end at a point overlapping the rearward end of said breast pocket and having a rearward edge extending from said shoulder strap at its upper end to said lower strip at its lower end, the lower ends of the rearward edges of the two back panel parts overlapping at said lower strip to spread the pull of the shoulder straps, the rearward edges of the breast pockets and the forward edges of the back panel parts being adapted to extend diagonally and to overlap beneath the armpits when in position on the wearer.

5. A garment comprising a lower strip adapted to extend entirely around the body of the wearer, shoulder straps attached to said lower strip at the front of the garment and extending upwardly therefrom, breast pockets of generally triangular form having bottom edges, forward edges and rearward edges, said bottom edges being attached to said lower strip, said forward edges extending upwardly along and attached to said shoulder straps, said rearward edges extending from the shoulder straps at the front of the garment to the lower strip at the sides of thegarment and a back panel composed of two parts which are attached at their lower edges to said lower strip, each of said back panel parts carrying at its forward edge a stretchable strip attached at its upper end to said shoulder strap and at its lower end to said lower strip at a point overlapping the rearward end of said breast pocket, and

carrying at its rearward edge a stretchable strip attached at its upper end to said shoulder strap and at its lower end to said lower strip the lower ends of the rearward edges of the two back panel parts overlapping at said lower strip to spread the pull of the shoulder straps, the rearward edges of the breast pockets and the forward edges of the back panel parts being adapted to extend diagonally and to overlap beneath the armpits when in position on the wearer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,443,225 Cadous June 15', 1948 2,782,416 Ginsburg Feb. 26, 195.7 2,884,927 Goldstein May 5, 1959 2,940,454 Faron June 14, 196i) grim 

